School and University - agreeing with David Mitchell again

[UnquietDad]

article here

"...when residential non-vocational degrees for a minority are replaced by hurried part-time vocational ones for the majority, going to university is likely to lose its career-enhancing effect. The academic currency is both debased and over-issued."

I'm all in favour of cutting back the number of places available at university. Back to 1980s levels, even.

As long as my children still get to go, of course.

I sort of agree with the article and with you UQD.

I do though think that the economy only needs a certain number of people with degrees. If too many are produced the value of a degree inevitably falls and so the people who get a degree will find it harder to pay the cost back.

My view is that only 25% of people should get a degree and that scholarships should go to those who are too poor to pay upfront.

On the issue of life experience. It was an experienced I valued and did change my life. It did not involve a great deal of hanging about drinking beer though. If all that going to university means is a degree and lots of beer then its a waste - people might as well do a good Open University degree and work part time to pay for their beer while living at home.

University has to be a good quality experience - not just 3 years between school and work. I am not sure that all universities today are delivering that. Nor am I sure that doing a degree while trying to make ends meet working at McDonalds is a good thing either - as many students now have to.

Yes to properly funded, good quality, valuable degrees for elite students. No to commodity degrees that are poorly funded and of lttle value to weak candidates.

Yes. I liked the bit about HE being a time when kids can work themselves out... As I read it today while having lunch between giving advice at uni open day, it reminded me to encourage them to do stuff they love...

University has re-defined itself, of course, as no longer being an academic space - it's one where vocational training happens too. So companies no longer have to do as much in-house training as they expect people to come to them fully trained by the HE sector.

It's very difficult to re-re-define universities without shunting the responsibility of training back on to employers. Doesn't mean it shouldn't happen, but let's not pretend it won't have implications.

Great article. And I'm now insanely jealous of Emma Thompson (not words I ever imagined I'd utter...).

I giggled my way through this yesterday loved the line